Poco Loco Brings Spice to Edgewood

Alan Masterson and Chris Gilchrist, longtime veterans of the foodservice industry, are pretty confident about their tacos, burritos and other Mexican food.

"The best damn taco shop in town," their motto, printed on their menus and emblazoned on the shop's awning at 2005 Broad St., proclaims.

The shop, , has been open since the end of April, and so far, business has been good, Masterson said.

"It has been very busy," he said. "It's good. We can't complain."

The restaurant's birth came on wheels in the form of a food truck with the same name. The two business partners started their venture with the truck in 2010 — right before the explosion in food trucks.

"We got a head start," Masterson said. "But eventually, we realized we wanted to place to call home."

The two had worked together over the years in various restaurants and decided it was time to stop working for other people. So they started Poco Loco knowing that there is a shortage of good Mexican food in Rhode Island and people would be drawn to the fresh ingredients and flavors offered on the menu.

For $2, you can get a simple taco with meat, lettuce, cheese, onion, cilantro and pico de gallo in a hard or soft tortilla.

The grande taco is $5 and consists of a grilled flatbread stuffed with meat, beans, cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce onion and cilantro.

There are burritos, quesadillas, nachos, dirty rice, wraps, dip and even avocado fritters.

The most popular item by far is the PBJ — pork, black beans, jalapeños, cheese and sweet chili BBQ sauce. You can get it as a taco, burrito or grande taco.

"It's awesome," Masterson said.

The bright yellow exterior has caught the attention of the neighborhood. Many local families have been coming by for a quick bite or a night out with the kids without the major fuss of a sit-down restaurant. Plus the food is fresh and healthy and can appeal to both young and old, Masterson said.

The inside is simple, clean and inviting. Several chairs outside invite a quick bite on a nice day.

"The community has been great," he said. "They've really come out to support the business."

Poco Loco hasn't spent any money on advertising or spent too much time trying to generate fanfare. Instead, Masterson said they've been hoping the food and happy customers spreading word by word-of-mouth will drum up business.

And so far, it seems to be working.

Poco Loco is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The shop is closed Sunday and Monday.

For more information, call 401-461-2640 or visit http://pocolocotacos.com/. You can also find them on Facebook by clicking HERE.

To find out where the truck is, simply text: 401-281-YUMM (9866).